Storm window fastener



Feb. 5, 1952 J. H. WIDMER ETAL STORM WINDOW FASTENER Filed July 22, 1946 INVENTOR. JOHN H.WIDMER CARL T. SMITH Patented Feb. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STORM WINDOW FASTENER- John H. Widmer and Carl T. Smith, St. Paul I'ark, Minn.

Application July 22, 1946, Serial No. 685,497 10 Claims. (01. 292-275) Our invention relates to an improvement in storm window fastener wherein it is desired to provide a means of holding a storm window in adjusted angularrelation relative to its frame.

An object of the present invention lies in the provision of a fastener which includes readily separable parts to permit the fastener to be disengaged when the storm window is removed.

A further object of the present invention lies in the provision of a fastener by means of which a storm window may be frictionally held in adjusted position.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a rod pivotally attached to a storm window and a cooperable channel pivotally supported on the window frame. The rod is frictionally engaged in the channel in such a way that it may be readily removed therefrom in practice.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a rod pivotally attached to a window and a channel pivotally supported on the window frame in such a manner that the pivots of the rod and of the channel are coaxial when the window is in closed sition. As a result the rod and channel may be pivoted in unison to extend parallel to the window to lock the storm window in closed position.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a spring element for frictionally engaging the rod and in the provision of a pair of spring ears in conjunction therewith for holding the rod engaged in the spring element. Thus the spring element serves the double function of frictionally engaging the rod to normally hold the rod from movement relative to the same and also to .hold the rod engaged therewith. 1. An added feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a means of adjusting the tension of the spring clip against the rod. As a result compensation for wear is provided and the spring tension may be increased when found necessary or desirable.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a stop for limiting the pivotal movement of the arm and channel in one direction. Accordingly in opening the window the arm and channel may be swung about their common axes in unison until the channel engages the adjacent stop whereupon the channel and rod are properly positioned to permit the opening of the window. This feature is extremely desirable as in opening the window it is necessary that the rod and channel extend initially in lime with the direction of movement of the win- These and other objects and novel features of our invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification'and claims.

7 In the drawings forming a part of our specification:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of our storm window fastener showing the construction there Figure 2 is a sectional view through a portion of the storm window and its frame showing the relative relation between the parts of the fastener when the window is opened.

Figure 3 is an elevation view of the bracket mounted on the window frameshowing an end view of the rod supported therein.

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the spring ele-= merit supported within the channel to frictionally 20 engage the rod.

The fastener A is mounted upon a storm window such as i0 which is pivotally supported in its frame ll. Usually a fastener A is provided on each side of the window. For the purpose of illustration, but one of the fasteners is illustrated.

The fastener A includes one portion which is mounted upon the storm window In and a secend portion which is mounted upon the frame ll. As will be later described in detail the two parts of the fastener are relatively separable to permit the storm window to be readily removed from its frame for storage during warm weather.

A bracket [2 is supported upon the window ID as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The bracket I2 is preferably of channel shaped formation including a base plate l3 and a pair of upstanding parallel side plates 14. Screws i5 or other suitable fastening means extend through the base plate 13 to holdthe bracket IE to the margin of the window [0. Apertures iii are provided in the side plates M for pivotally supporting the rod I! in the manner later described in detail.

The rod IT is substantially L-shaped in form having a short end portion l'9 bent at substantially right angles to the remainder of the arm. This short end portion 19 extends through the apertures IS in the side plates l4 and is pivotally supported thereby. The extremity of the angular portion I9 is flattened as indicated at 28 to hold the rod engaged in the apertures l6.

Thus it will be obvious thatthe rod I! may 55 P Qt about a horizontal axis within the apertures Hi. This permits the rod I! to assume various angularities relative to the window 10.

A stile plate 2| is secured to the frame I! of the window ID. This stile plate 2! includes a pair of aligned end portions 22 and an off-set center portion 23. The stile plate 2! is attached to the surface of the window frame by screws 24 extending through the aligned end portions .22 thereof.

A channel member 25 is pivotally secured by means of a pivot 25 to the off-set portion 23 of the stile plate 2!. The channel member 25 includes a base 21 and opposed parallel sides 29 and 35. As best illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings the sides 29 and 3!] arepartially cut away adjacent the pivoted end of the channel although this construction is not, entirely essen. tial. The pivot 23 is arranged on a horizontal axis and the stile plate 2! is so mounted on the frame H that in closed position of the window I 5 the axis of the pivot 25 coincides with the axis of the pivoted end portion 19 of the rod I l.

A spring clip 3| is supported within the channel 25, this spring clip being held in proper posttion by the pivot 26 which extends through the base 32 of the spring clip. The clip 3| is generally similar in shape to the channel and is confined within the walls of this channel 25. The spring clip 3| includes the base'32 and side walls 33 and 34. Adjacent the base 32 these side walls 33 and 34 fit snugly within the side walls 29 and 35 of the channel 25. Each side wall, however, is provided with an inwardly projecting longi tudinal rib, these ribs being indicated at 35 and 35 respectively. The free edge portions 31 and 35- of the side walls 33 and 34 are-spaced inwardly from the sidewalls 29 and 30 of the channel bracket so as to permit the spring element 5! to spread an amount necessary to receive the arm I I.

A pair of inwardly bent lips 45 and 4! are provided on the free edge portions 3! and 39 of the side walls 33 and 34, these lips acting to hold the arm l"! enga ed between the side walls of the spring clip 3|; These lips 40 and 4| spread apart to permit inse tion or removal of the arm [1 and tend to hold the arm engaged between the side walls of the spring clip when once in place. The manner in which the ears engage about the arm I! is best indicated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings.

In order to provide an adjustment for compensating for wear of the spring clip we provide a set screw 42 extending through one or both of the channel walls 29 and 30. The set screw 42 engages the outer surface of a side wall 33 or 34 of the spring clip 3! to urge this side wall againstthe rod I1. By thismeansthe frictional engagement between the spring clip 3| and the arm f1 may be adjusted.

When the fastener A is in the position shown in Figure l of the drawings, the storm window is locked from, outward movement because of: the

fact that the channel 25 and arm [1 engaged.

thereby are substantially parallel to the storm window It and thus the arm can not be moved longitudinally of the channel by an outward force upon the window. Therefore in opening thewmdow, it is first necessary toswing the arm I and the channel 25 in unison until the arm I! extends substantially in the direction of movemer t of the window. In other words from. closed. position the bracket l2 on the. storm window moves in a substantially horizontal. direction. Accordingly the arms I! are preferably SWl n into substantially horizontal position before the window If] is swung outwardly. In order to position the channel 25 and arm I! supported thereby in substantially horizontal position, we prefer to provide a lug such as 43 on the stile plate 2| which limits upward pivoting of the channel 25. Thus the arm I! may be swung upwardly until the channels 25 engage the lugs 43 whereupon the bracket is properly positioned to permit outward swinging of the window ID. This outward swinging of the window is limited by flattening the end 44 of the rod I! so as to limit the slidable movement; of the rod in the channel 25.

When the window In is in open position the arms 1!? may be disengaged from the spring clips 31 within the channels 25 by flexing the arms I! inwardly the necessary amount to clearto disengagethe arm from the spring clip. The arms l1 either flex sufliciently to permit this disengagement or the pivoted ends of the arm I! are pivotally supported: with sufficient play to permit this disengagement:

In accordance with the patent statutes we have described the principles of construction and operation of our storm window fastener, and while we have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that obvious changes maybe made within the scope of the following claims without departingfrom the spirit of our invention.

We claim: 7

1. A storm window fastener for connecting a pivotally supported window to its frame, the fastener including an arm pivotally supported by the window, a chamiel bracket pivotally supported by said frame, and a channel shaped spring element within said channel bracket for frictionally engaging said arm, said spring element having a pair of spaced sides and a base, the armbeing engageable and disengageable therefrom on movement toward or away from said base, the pivot connecting said arm to the window and pivotally connecting said channel bracket to the frame being substantially coaxial in closed position of the window.

2. A storm window fastener for connecting a pivotally supported window to its frame, the fastener including an arm pivotally connected to the window, a channel bracket pivotally supported to said frame, a channel shaped spring element having parallel sides and a connecting base supported within saidchannel bracket and fri-ctionally engaging said arm, and means forv urging one side of said, channel shaped spring element toward the other for adjusting the tension of said spring element;

3. A storm window fastener for connecting a pivotally supported window to its frame, the fastener including an arm pivotally connected to the window, a channel bracket pivotally supported to. said frame, a channel shaped spring element having" parallel sides and a connecting base supported within said channel bracket and frictionally engaging said arm, and means for urgi g one side of said channel shaped spring element toward the other for adjusting the tension of said spring element, the pivots connecting said arm to: said window and connecting said channel bracket to said frame being substantially coaxial in' closed position of the window.

4'. A storm window fastener for connecting a pivotally suppor ed. window to i ame, t e

\ fastener including; an arm pivotally'con'nected to the window, a bracket: pivotally supported to said the axes of said piv 'parallel,

about both axes simultaneously in closed position of the window.

5. The structure of claim 4 and including a spring friction means on said bracket engaging said arm.

6. The structure of claim 4 and including a channel shaped end on said elongated body forming said arm holding means.

7. The structure of claim 4 including a channel shaped end on said elongated body forming said arm holding means, and a channel shaped spring element within said channel shaped end removably engaging said arm under spring tension.

8. The structure of claim 4 including a stile plate on said frame to which said bracket is pivotally attached, and a stop shoulder on said stile plate limiting pivotal movement of said bracket.

9. A storm window fastener for use in connecting a pivotally supported window to its frame, the fastener including an arm pivotally connected to the window, a channel bracket pivotally supported to the frame, said channel bracket having spaced sides and a connecting base and being designed to removably and slidably support the arm between the spaced sides, and retaining means on said channel bracket between said spaced sides and movable toward or away from said sides and frictionally engaging said arm to hold the arm between said spaced sides, said arm being disengageable from the bracket upon movement away from said base.

10. A storm Window fastener for use in connecting a pivotally supported window to its frame, the fastener including an arm pivotally connected to the window, a channel bracket pivotally supported to the frame, said channel bracket having spaced sides and a connecting base and being designed to removably and slidably support said arm between the spaced sides, retaining means on said bracket for frictionally engaging said arm to hold the arm between said spaced sides and disengageable from the bracket upon movement away from said base, the pivots connecting said arm to the window and connecting said channel bracket to the frame being substantially co-axial closed position of the Window.

JOHN H. WIDMER. CARL T. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 406,840 Jones July 9, 1889 2,164,732 De Vries July 4, 1939 2,176,683 Peremi et al. Oct. 17, 1939 2,303,452 Goserud Dec. 1, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 429,406 Great Britain May 29, 1935 

